Hoodoos and Hikes in Brilliant Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Day 1: The trip officially starts at 1:30 p.m. when we will meet at the main visitor’s center for a short orientation meeting. As check-in at the lodge does not start until 4:00 p.m., we will probably have time for a hike before checking in. Dinner at the lodge restaurant at about 5 p.m.

Days 2-5: Each day we will choose a different trail to hike. The exact trails chosen will de-pend on the needs of the group and the trail and weather conditions. Possibil-ities include:

• Bristlecone Pine Loop Trail: Rated easy; 1.0 mile round trip. This trail is located at the far end of the park drive so we will need to carpool as the park shuttle does not go that far. Also there are overlooks and additional short trails along the driving route that can be add-ed.
• The Rim Trail: Rated easy, but is long (11 miles). Distance hiked to be deter-mined by the group; it is unlikely that we will do all of it. Trail is located right in front of the lodge so we will not have to drive or take the shuttle.
• The Mossy Cave Trail: Rated easy; 1.5 miles round trip. Interesting trail that includes a small waterfall and a drippy cave. This trail will also require carpool-ing as it is beyond the range of the park shuttle.
• The Queen’s Garden Trail: Rated mod-erately strenuous; 2.0-mile loop. There is one steepish uphill at the end of the trail. Trail is located right in front of the lodge so we will not have to drive or take the shuttle.
• The Fairy Land Trail: As the entire trail is rated strenuous (8 miles long, contains some very steep sections), we can do part of it as determined by the group.
• Riggs Spring Loop Trail: The entire trail is an 18-mile-long backpacking trail, but a portion can be done quite easily. It is a lovely uncrowded trail that overlooks the canyon.

We will also try to take advantage of any ranger programs that are being offered during our stay.

Day 6: The trip officially ends after breakfast. However, following check out, we can visit the nearby historic town of Panguitch, if there is interest in doing so.

Getting There

By air: The nearest airports to Bryce Canyon National Park are Las Vegas, Nevada, St. George, Utah, and Salt Lake City, Utah.

By road: Bryce National Park is located on UT Route 63. It is about 90 miles from Zion National Park. Good directions to the Park are on the Bryce National Park website (https://www.nps.gov/bryce/)

Due to the need for the leaders to arrive in the park several days early, it will not be possible for us to pro-vide transportation from any airport or within the park.  Participants are encouraged to form carpools among themselves.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Both will be provided by the Bryce Canyon Lodge. The trip price is based on double occupancy at the lodge. A few single supplement rooms are available. All meals are covered by the trip price.

Trip Difficulty

The majority of the trails chosen for this Sierra Club outing are rated by the park as “easy” to “moderate." Individual trail lengths vary from less than a mile to 11 miles roundtrip, with elevation gains from 500 feet to 1500 feet depending on the particular trail. The elevation of the park ranges from around 8,000 ft to over 9,000 ft so it may take participants a couple of days to adjust to it.

Equipment and Clothing

A detailed list of recommended equipment and clothing will be provided to all registered participants in advance of the trip.

References

• National Geographic, “Secrets of the National Parks.”
• National Geographic, “Guide to the National Parks of the United States.”
• Molvar, Erik and Tamara Martin, Hiking Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. A Falcon Guide. 

Conservation

The Sierra Club motto is “Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the Planet." The mission of Sierra Club outings is to enable Sierra Club members to “explore and enjoy” some of the most beautiful places on Earth while also learning about what is being done to protect the places visited.

Usually Sierra Club outings include guest speakers or other programs aimed at educating the trip participants about conservation efforts in the region. The conservation message of this outing will focus on the role of National Parks in preserving America’s most outstanding landscapes and valuable ecosystems and on the activities of the local chapter of Sierra Club. The year 2016 was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and we will continue to celebrate this milestone while also noting the anniversaries of individual parks, some of which predate the establishment of the Park Service.

Bryce Canyon was designated a National Monument in 1923 and achieved National Park status in 1928. It is well known for its exceptional air quality, which is rated “pristine” by the federal government, and is protected by law. Plans for industrial development on the outskirts of this park could jeopardize this feature of the park.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.